Adui13

Hmm I would have to go with the masses on this one, .243 at least. If you use a smaller round it can be effective if shot placement is good, which of course is always important. BUT whom of us has NEVER stretched their range limits even just a little? and we cannot guaruntee a good shot every time no matter how careful we are. go with t he .243.

PORK CHOP

I would say 243 if you only want one rifle. But I would recommend having a stronger rifle for deer hunting.

Howler

I guess I need a couple things cleared up in my mind.Pesky Critter, please let us know a couple things.Such as, are you shooting hand loads or factory ammo out of your .223, at what velocity, where are you placing the shots and at what yardage are you having success at "dropping deer in thier tracks" with the .223.Most of us think of taking deer at 100 or 200 hundred yrds., which would leave the .223 feeling a little inadequate.When suggesting an all around deer and varmint gun, why limit yourself to 100 yrds. or less with a 22 caliber of any kind, and if your shooting deer further than a 100 yrds. with a .223, it will only be a matter of time before you don't drop one right in its tracks and loose it.I can't recommend any gun less than a .243 for deer sized game, myself, but to each his own, I hate to tell someone to get a .223 and have him/her shoot a deer and loose it and then come back to this board and ask a question about "why I lost my deer, I used a .223, hit it square in the shoulder, but now can't find it, HELP."

Pesky Critters

I'M not telling Swampman what to buy! [quote]( i need a rifle small enuff to kill coyote and predators but enuff to handle deer.what should i get??? ) Most hunters will lose a deer in a life time. I have lost two, One with a bow and one that I shot with a 30.06(hunting for over 45 years) The average shot for deer in MD.is 5 to 50 yrds. I shoot for the neck or heart. For deer I use 75 grain,fox 55grain.I have not had a problem killing deer with the 223! Yes, The 243 is better for killing deer. but I have had better luck and less hide damage on fox with the 223.If Swampman just wants to kill predators and not save there hides let him buy a 30.06 it to will kill predators and deer. But he asked for a small rifle that would do both. The 223 or 243 at a 100 or 200 yards are both to small for deer. Like Deerslayer still said check the laws first, They both may not be legal for deer in La.

Howler

thanks for answering there Pesky, and you brought up another good point, or factor that should also be concidered, where will the deer hunting take place, out west where the shots can be 300+ yrds. at mule deer or even up N. where the deer sizes tend to be larger, both factors may also need to be concidered.If the longer distances may come into play, maybe should even concider going up to, say, maybe the .270!That will handle the largest coyote as far as a guy can shoot and sill handle any N. American deer.

buckman56

I would go with the 22-50 or .243. I like the 22-50 myself, I think that it shoots a little better. good luck.
Bman

frizzellr

buckman56, you mean the 22-250 Rem? Still small for deer.

Robb92

I'D GO FOR THE 257 WEATHERBY OR ROBERTS, BOTH ARE GOOD GUNS AND NICE FLAT SHOOTERS, MY UNCLE LOADS 117 GRAIN BARNES BULLETS IN THE CASINGS AND WE HAVE BOTH SHOT DEER AND YOTES WITH THEM AND THE PELT DAMAGE AND HIDE DAMAGE WAS TINY COMPARED TO A 338

Pesky Critters

Howler--you are 100%right. If I was hunting out west for deer, shooting 100 to 300 yards, I would probably use my 30.06. For yotes my 243, I would have to borrow a 270.
In MD over 100 yard shot for deer is almost unheard of. In some areas it's Shot Gun only
(12ga. slugs), no yardage there. Although the coyote population is rising, our main predator is the Red Fox, a small target, but not hard to kill. Area and yardage is a big
factor.

deerslayer still

I'm surprised that this is the first time, correct me if I'm wrong, that the .270 has been mentioned. Frankly, I forgot about it too. You can get low grain bullets for it as well and it shoots very well at long ranges and will knock the heck out of a deer.